2017 Kia Cerato Sport she says, he says review

This small car has been climbing the sales charts for a good reason.

2017 Kia Cerato Sport she says, he says review

17 May 2017Daniela Intili, Stephen Ottley

2017 Kia Cerato sedan she says, he says reviewThis small car has been climbing the sales charts for a good reason.

He: Kia has given its Cerato range a freshen up to revive interest as newer small cars enter the marketplace. The new Cerato Sport effectively replaces the old S Premium model, fitting between the S and Si models. For $22,490 it has 17-inch alloy wheels, a 7.0-inch colour touchscreen, navigation, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, leather-like steering wheel and shift lever trim, chrome interior door handles, soft-touch interior upper door trim, rear spoiler for the sedan, aero blade wipers and Sport badges. What do you think, Dani?

She: Steve, you get a lot of car for that amount of money and there's no doubt the Kia Cerato continues to grow in popularity. In the space of a just few years it's jumped from being the 12th best selling small car in Australia to fourth so far in 2017, behind the Toyota Corolla, Mazda3 and Hyundai i30. I think the big drawcard is that this new Cerato Sport is $2500 cheaper than the S Premium it replaces. Disappointingly automatic emergency braking still isn't standard but I do think the cabin layout is good, despite some cheap plastics.

He: Yep, the cabin layout and the design in general are real standouts on the Cerato for me. Kia's growth in the last few years is in no small part thanks to the improvement in its design. As you mentioned, Dani, the cabin is particularly good. There's a thoughtfulness to the way it has been designed, with good storage spaces and even a lidded console box at the bottom of the dashboard where you can plug your smartphone or music player into the USB port and then cover it up out of sight when you park.

But Kia has also improved the way its cars drive. What did you think of the way it handled itself on the road?

She: Over the years I've noticed a difference in performance. I didn't enjoy my very first Cerato experience but there have been some improvements over time. The 2.0-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder petrol is much better than the old 1.8-litre one it replaced in 2016. It's no sports car and sometimes the gears in the six-speed automatic feel out of sync at lower speeds but it's quite good once it gets going. It's still a bit noisy but the improved steering has also made a difference.

He: I think it is a nice small car to drive without resetting any benchmarks in the category. Like you say, the steering is nicely sorted which makes it easy to live with around town while still providing some meaningful feedback to the driver.

Kia Australia does its own local ride and handling program to tailor the suspension to local roads, and it shows. The Cerato has a nice balance between controlled handling and a compliant ride.

So what's your verdict, Dani?

She: Steve, I think the Cerato has come a long way in regards to handling, performance and presentation. Kia's unmatched seven-year unlimited kilometre warranty and capped price servicing adds further incentive to what is a very appealing package. But I still think the Cerato can do better. For me, the addition of AEB as standard could be the difference in making this small car an even more formidable force.

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He: Yeah, I think Kia has certainly come a long way and is now a genuine contender to be the biggest brands in the market. But if it wants to take it to the next level then it still needs to improve in some areas. But for the moment, it is good to see the Cerato getting some much deserved love from local buyers.

Drive Comments

chris s | 2017-05-17 09:07:23

loopie if you don't at least consider it

Mr Majestyk | 2017-05-17 10:03:46

Well compared to the garbage Corolla it's a standout that's for sure.

Andy Del | 2017-05-17 19:45:23

This reads like an advert FROM Kia, not a journalistic piece ON Kia! Even when disguised as a conversation between two people: the opportunity to repeat facts, pad out the article and say zero.
Have you guys been taking lessons from Trump, by any chance?

Dalliance | 2017-05-17 23:28:58

I like the Cerato. Last year it was on a shortlist of 2 for purchase. I bought the VW Polo because it the interior functionality wasn't as bitty (and complicated) like the Cerato.
If the Koreans could learn from European design (operational simpilicity rules), they'd win much more appeal.
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rainbowsandbutterflies | 2017-05-18 02:40:01

Does anyone else cringe watching this? It can't be hard to find two people who are natural on camera, or a decent opening shot location (ie not in the glaring sun!). Kids in uni produce better videos! These two are way too serious and rehearsed. I don't know if anyone could watch this to the end, surely?

Michael Daly | 2017-05-18 02:54:55

I agree with Andy Del. If it's a Hyundai or a Kia it ALWAYS gets the free advertisement and endorsement from 'Drive'. It maybe a good car but the Ford Focus is also never considered. The Ford is probably equally as good a car as the Cerato and I'd buy a Ford Focus over this Kia but Ford have the worst marketing team in the business and have obviously really annoyed the whole Drive team, because they rarely mention much less endorse Ford small vehicles. One thing that stands out to me is that Hyundai and Kia are brilliant at is copying Toyota. All their technology is old, safe and true, and therefore they are cheap(er), reliable and never cutting edge.

MelbourneG | 2017-05-18 04:26:49

Drive, what do you guys really think you're doing!?
Have to agree with all the above posts. Lazy, useless journalism/editorial.
Used to refer to Drive 1-2 per week. Now, Drive would be lucky if I check in once a month. . . Would like to route for you guys as supposed journalists. You're quickly making yourselves irrelevant!!

Zaphod | 2017-05-18 05:25:04

Most under-rated? Nope. It is very, very good. However, it is not brilliant. The 2017 Subaru Impreza is just plain brilliant. Phenomenal road-holding, superb internal space, lots of safety gizmos, the most precise steering I've experienced in a car, since my 2 Litre Ford Escort (non assisted, rack & pinion) great resale.... I could go on. For anyone who cares about driving, the Impreza is an astonishing achievement. The 2016 model was excellent. The 2017 model is in a whole nuther league.